Qadri Supporters Mass in Islamabad

Supporters of Tahir ul Qadri during a protest march in Islamabad, Jan. 15.

The Canadian-Pakistani Sufi cleric, Muhammad Tahir ul Qadri, issued an ultimatum to the Pakistani government on Tuesday calling for its voluntary resignation as tens of thousands of his supporters held a demonstration in central Islamabad.

The government blockaded the roads leading to Parliament to halt the protesters’ march. The number of participants fell far short of the 1 million that Mr. Qadri had promised would come into the streets but brought the capital to a standstill nevertheless.

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Police fired into the air and used tear gas against protesters, according to local media reports. Supporters of the cleric retaliated by throwing rocks at the police. Two protesters were injured, said Umar Abbasi, a spokesman for Mr. Qadri’s political organization, Minhajul Quran International. Mr. Qadri has repeatedly called for peaceful protests, but one witness in Islamabad said that many protesters are armed with sticks and clubs.

In his address to the crowd, Mr. Qadri called for a revolution against corruption. He presented a seven-point list of demands that included the dissolution of the national government, provincial assemblies and the Election Commission of Pakistan in order to pave the way for free and fair elections that are scheduled for late April or early May.

The cleric, who has been a vocal opponent of Islamist militants, also pressed for greater government accountability and better representation for Pakistan’s minority groups. Mr. Qadri alluded to the worsening security situation in the country and described the government as waging “a fake war against terrorism.”

The cleric, a former minor political player in Pakistan, has drawn widespread media coverage in recent days since he returned from six years living in Canada. Thousands of his protesters descended on Islamabad late Monday after arriving in convoy from Lahore. Schools were closed Tuesday and foreign embassies remained in lockdown.

Mr. Abbasi claimed the cleric had widespread support in Pakistan, especially among minorities angered by a lack of representation in the political mainstream. He claimed that there was a large Christian contingent amongst the protesters, although he couldn’t estimate the number.

Mr. Qadri’s cause has resonated with many Pakistanis who are frustrated by the status quo of the country’s politics. The Pakistan People’s Party-led government, which is currently in power, has presided over a period of worsening security, a deepening energy crisis and a moribund economy.

The cleric’s supporters say they will remain in the capital until their demands are met, placing mounting pressure on the government. “It will be difficult for the government to ignore the mass of people on the streets of Islamabad if the protesters do heed Mr. Qadri’s call to stay on the streets,” said Ayaz Amir, a member of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the main opposition party.

The government says it will not bow to Mr. Qadri’s demands. The Supreme Court issued a statement on Tuesday morning saying that the elections will go ahead as planned later this year.

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